What Is Microsoft 365 for Education?

Microsoft are well-known around the world for producing some of the best business software on the market. Their flagship line – Microsoft 365 – has been leveraged to great effect across many different sectors. Microsoft 365 for Education, for instance, has been an immense help for schools and other educational institutions around the world in the last few years; the line of products and services helped schools adapt to the social restrictions put in place to mitigate the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

We reached out to a London-based Microsoft Partner with some experience working with schools. TechQuarters, spent much of the last few years providing the small business IT support London based schools have needed to adapt to post-Covid education, which is hybrid in nature, and requires robust technology solutions to be in use.

Microsoft 365 for Education: What Is It?

Microsoft 365 for Education is one of the sector-specific plans which Microsoft have developed in recent years. The idea behind these plans was to make it easier for companies in specific industries to understand how to leverage Microsoft 365 for their business in the most effective way.

Microsoft 365 itself is probably the most popular business solution the company provides; TechQuarters told us that, besides IT support services in London, the service their customers most frequently ask about is migrating to Microsoft 365. The line of apps and services are aimed at providing organisations with all the necessary tools for communication, collaboration, and general business productivity and unique IT Support for Education Solutions.

Microsoft 365 for Education comes in 3 different tiered plans, which are classified as follows: A1, A3, A5.

What is Included in Microsoft 365 for Education?

Microsoft 365 has most well-known for the Microsoft Office apps – i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint – but there are many more apps and services included with it. The 3 different plans have some differences – namely that the A1 plan is the most fundamental, whereas A5 is the most comprehensive. Below is a table outlining what is included with each plan:

It should also be noted that Microsoft 365 for Education A1 is free to use, while the A3 and A5 plans are priced per user, per month.

Advantages of Using Microsoft 365 for Education

Many schools around the world have adopted Microsoft 365 for Education; however, there are still plenty who aren’t using it. The advantages of the solution are plain to see…

• It’s Cloud-based

All the apps and services included in Microsoft 365 can be accessed from desktops, mobile devices (phones and tablets), and web browsers. Users simply need their account login, and they will be able to access all of their files and data and use the apps and services from whichever platform they are on.

This is very good for remote and hybrid learning, where students may need to access their work outside of the classroom. It is equally useful for faculty, as it can make the process of bringing work home with them easier.

• It Encourages Collaboration

The interconnectedness of the Microsoft 365 apps – and the fact that they can be accessed and used anywhere, anytime – makes the solution excellent for collaboration. From students working together on group projects, to teachers sharing and co-authoring learning resources – they can use Microsoft 365 to make things easy for themselves.

• It’s Used By Businesses

Microsoft 365 is used by businesses, and therefore, it is designed to make workflows highly efficient. Faculty and administration will find many benefits from this. On the student’s side, they will benefit from getting experience with a business-standard suite of applications and services. When they enter work, that experience will help them.